What, Me Worry?

Most of us remember the iconic picture of Alfred E. Neuman on the cover of Mad Magazine with these words – “What, me worry?”

Worry is something that affects us all. It is part and parcel of our daily lives. Worry is usually something we choose to do; In spite of what we may think, it is not caused by external circumstances only, but also by internal disposition. Most often we are most anxious about those things that might happen rather than those that have happened to us. Usually, when it is all over, we realize we made ‘much ado about nothing.’

Even though it is impossible to live a life beyond all fear and anxiety, a human frailty, it is possible to reduce the power of worry over us. Jesus, as always, gives us the answer.

Jesus tells us to concentrate on what is essential (our salvation); He tells us to focus on doing the will of God. When we trust in God and desire to please him worry is banished. When thoughts of God and what is eternally important in our lives prevails, there is little to no room for worry.

Worry is essentially distrust in God. Difficult though it may be for us to live worry-free lives, we should work towards handling just the present day’s problems as they come, and not look for tomorrow’s troubles that may never occur.

The Bishop’s Appeal motto this year calls us to ‘Trust in the Lord.’ This is where we should focus our minds and hearts if we are to be good stewards of all that God has given us — whether we have time to give; talent to share or a little bit of treasure to spare, if we focus on God, we will know what to do.

The only way to get rid of worry in our lives, or at least most of it, or to lessen it, is to focus on God and do what we can.

St. Augustine said, “Entrust the past to God’s mercy, the present to his love, and the future to his providence. “ Truly, everything else is the ‘small stuff.’